Book the First: Chapters 1-10 Summary

Kate DiCamillo is an award winning children's author who claims she wrote this book when her best friend's son asked her to write a story about an unusual hero with large ears.

Chapter 1. Despereaux is born, the only surviving infant in his mother's last litter of babies. Despereaux's eyes are open when he is introduced to his older siblings, something that is quite unusual in mice. Despereaux's father, Lester, predicts he will not live.

Chapter 2. Despereaux is a sickly child, with large ears. Despereaux does not like to spend his days looking for crumbs as the rest of his family tends to do.

Chapter 3. Despereaux's brother and sister try to teach him to act like a mouse, but Despereaux is more interested in human things. When Despereaux's sister takes him to the library to eat...